Be Prepared

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What to do After an Earthquake

Earthquakes can occur in California at any time... without
notice. Knowing what to do can reduce the dangers
and make a big difference in how an earthquake will affect
you and your home. Adults and children should discuss
what to do if an earthquake occurs.

What do to immediately after an earthquake

Check yourself
for injuries.
Often people tend to others
without checking their own injuries. You will be better
able to care for others if you are not injured or if you have received
first aid for your injuries.

Protect yourself from further danger by putting
on long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes, and
work gloves. This will protect your from further injury
by broken objects.

After you have taken care of yourself, help
injured or trapped persons. If you have it in your area,
call 9-1-1, then give first aid when appropriate. Don't
try to move seriously injured people unless they are in
immediate danger of further injury.

Look for and extinguish small fires. Eliminate
fire hazards. Putting out small fires quickly, using available
resources, will prevent them from spreading. Fire is the
most common hazard following earthquakes. Fires followed
the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 for three days, creating
more damage than the earthquake.

Leave the gas on at the main valve, unless
you smell gas or think it's leaking. It may be weeks or
months before professionals can turn gas back on using
the correct procedures. Explosions have caused injury and
death when homeowners have improperly turned their gas
back on by themselves.

Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, gasoline,
or other flammable liquids immediately. Avoid the hazard
of a chemical emergency.

Open closet and cabinet doors cautiously.
Contents may have shifted during the shaking of an earthquake
and could fall, creating further damage or injury.

Inspect your home for damage. Get everyone
out if your home is unsafe. Aftershocks following earthquakes
can cause further damage to unstable buildings. If your
home has experienced damage, get out before aftershocks
happen.

Help neighbors who may require special assistance.
Elderly people and people with disabilities may require
additional assistance. People who care for them or who
have large families may need additional assistance in emergency
situations.

Listen to a portable, battery-operated radio
(or television) for updated emergency information and instructions.
If the electricity is out, this may be your main source
of information. Local radio and local officials provide
the most appropriate advice for your particular situation.

Expect aftershocks. Each time you feel one,
drop, cover, and hold on! Aftershocks frequently occur
minutes, days, weeks, and even months following an earthquake.

Watch out for fallen power lines or broken
gas lines, and stay out of damaged areas. Hazards caused
by earthquakes are often difficult to see, and you could
be easily injured.

Stay out of damaged buildings. If you are
away from home, return only when authorities say it is
safe. Damaged buildings may be destroyed by aftershocks
following the main quake.

Use battery-powered lanterns or flashlights
to inspect your home. Kerosene lanterns, torches, candles,
and matches may tip over or ignite flammables inside.

Inspect the entire length of chimneys carefully
for damage. Unnoticed damage could lead to fire or injury
from falling debris during an aftershock. Cracks in chimneys
can be the cause of a fire years later.

Take pictures of the damage, both to the
house and its contents, for insurance claims.

When entering buildings, use extreme caution.
Building damage may have occurred where you least expect
it. Carefully watch every step you take.

Examine walls, floor, doors, staircases, and windows
to make sure that the building is not in danger of collapsing.

Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing
noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the
gas, using the outside main valve if you can, and call the gas company
from a neighbor's home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it
must be turned back on by a professional.

Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken
or frayed wires, or if you smell burning insulation, turn off the
electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have
to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call
an electrician first for advice.

Check for sewage and water line damage. If you suspect sewage lines
are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water
pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid using water
from the tap. You can obtain safe water from undamaged water heaters
or by melting ice cubes.

Watch for loose plaster, drywall, and ceilings that could fall.

Use the telephone only to report life-threatening emergencies. Telephone
lines are frequently overwhelmed in disaster situations. They need to
be clear for emergency calls to get through.

Watch animals closely. Leash dogs and place them in a fenced yard.
The behavior of pets may change dramatically after an earthquake. Normally
quiet and friendly cats and dogs may become aggressive or defensive